“I am heartbroken. A team with five straight national championships deserves better. As an amputee, I never imagined I would get to call myself a D-1 athlete. Stanford Lightweight Rowing is the only varsity team at Stanford to welcome a disabled athlete onto their roster. I am so grateful to my coaches and teammates for simultaneously supporting and pushing me to be stronger than I could have ever imagined. The women on this team are the most badass and resilient individuals I know. They deserve better than this. Stanford should NEVER be cutting programs that foster positivity and are acting as a platform for inclusion.”
-Mary Cooper, Class of 2022 Walk-On